Ofcom conducted research to explore whether online content related to conducting fraud – such as websites claiming to supply stolen credit card details – could be found using major search engines in the UK. As well as whether such content was findable at all, this work sought to provide a better understanding of how prevalent it was, and if and how search engine functionality worked to direct users to this kind of content when searching for it.
This work contributes to Ofcom’s growing evidence base on the potential risk of harm across a wide range of areas and specific offences covered by the Online Safety Bill.
The findings should not be considered a reflection of any final policy position that Ofcom may adopt when we take up our role as the online safety regulator.